Glossary
Bartolome de Las Casas
A Spanish Dominican friar and historian who became an outspoken critic of the brutal treatment of Native Americans by Spanish colonizers.
Example:
Bartolome de Las Casas famously debated Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda, arguing for the humanity and rights of indigenous peoples.
Columbus's Voyage (1492)
The expedition led by Christopher Columbus that marked the beginning of sustained European contact with the Americas, initiating a profound chain of events.
Example:
The lasting impact of Columbus's Voyage (1492) includes the widespread exchange of goods, ideas, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds.
Cultural Differences (European vs. Native American)
Fundamental disparities in beliefs and practices between European colonists and Native Americans, particularly concerning religion, gender roles, and land ownership.
Example:
The profound Cultural Differences (European vs. Native American) regarding communal land use versus private property ownership often fueled conflict between the groups.
Cultural Exchange
The reciprocal sharing of ideas, customs, technologies, and goods between different societies, often occurring during periods of significant contact.
Example:
A key aspect of Cultural Exchange was the introduction of European iron tools to Native Americans, while Europeans adopted new agricultural techniques and crops like corn.
Dependency (on European goods)
The increasing reliance of Native American groups on manufactured items from Europeans, such as firearms and metal tools, which altered their traditional economies and lifestyles.
Example:
As Native Americans became more reliant on European firearms for hunting, their dependency (on European goods) sometimes led to over-hunting of fur-bearing animals and increased debt.
Encomienda System
A labor system established by the Spanish in their American colonies that granted Spanish conquistadors and settlers control over Native American labor and tribute.
Example:
Under the Encomienda System, Spanish landowners were theoretically responsible for the welfare and Christianization of the Native Americans under their charge, but it often devolved into forced labor.
European Diseases
Infectious illnesses, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza, brought by Europeans to the Americas, to which Native Americans had no natural immunity.
Example:
The devastating impact of European Diseases led to a catastrophic decline in Native American populations, weakening their ability to resist colonial expansion.
Jamestown (1607)
The first permanent English settlement in North America, established by the Virginia Company in what is now Virginia.
Example:
Early struggles at Jamestown (1607), such as disease and starvation, highlighted the difficulties of colonial life and the importance of Native American assistance.
Joint-stock company
A business entity where shares of the company's stock can be bought and sold by shareholders, allowing for large ventures to be funded by multiple investors.
Example:
The British East India Company was another prominent joint-stock company that played a significant role in global trade and colonization.
Justifications for Subjugation
Arguments, often based on religious, cultural, or racial superiority, used by Europeans to rationalize the exploitation and control of non-European peoples.
Example:
The belief in a 'civilizing mission' was a common Justification for Subjugation, asserting that Europeans had a duty to bring Christianity and European customs to indigenous populations.
Loss of Sovereignty
The erosion or complete removal of a group's independent authority and control over its territory, people, and internal affairs.
Example:
European expansion often led to the Loss of Sovereignty for many Native American nations, as their lands were encroached upon and their political systems undermined.
Native American Resistance
Various strategies employed by indigenous peoples to oppose European encroachment, including diplomatic negotiations, military action, and cultural preservation.
Example:
King Philip's War is a notable example of Native American Resistance, where various tribes united in a desperate attempt to drive English colonists from their lands.
New Law of 1542
A series of Spanish decrees aimed at reforming the encomienda system and protecting Native Americans from exploitation, though they were often difficult to enforce.
Example:
Despite the intentions of the New Law of 1542, many Spanish colonists resisted its implementation, leading to continued abuses against indigenous laborers.
Powhatan Nation
A powerful confederacy of Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes in the Tidewater region of Virginia, who frequently interacted with the Jamestown settlers.
Example:
The Powhatan Nation initially engaged in both trade and conflict with the English colonists, seeking to protect their ancestral lands and way of life.
Three Worlds Meeting
Refers to the significant cultural, social, and ecological transformation that occurred with the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, bringing together Native American, European, and African peoples.
Example:
The Three Worlds Meeting fundamentally reshaped global trade routes and introduced new agricultural products across continents.
Virginia Company
A joint-stock company chartered by King James I of England to establish colonies in North America, primarily for economic gain.
Example:
Investors in the Virginia Company hoped to profit from gold, silver, and other resources found in the New World, though tobacco eventually became its most lucrative crop.